Being full of Stratagems amid Limitations

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

Dede Juhadi (36), a non-permanent teacher at SDN 1 Astapada, Cirebon, West Java, checks the task of making student videos related to Heroes\' Day on his device, Friday (20/11/2020), in Cirebon.

Dede Juhadi, 36, is not discouraged from pursuing the contract teacher profession. He is looking for creative ways to teach and make a living in the midst of various limitations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This country does not belong to one religion, one ethnic group. However, it belongs to all of us from Sabang to Merauke. Thank you heroes. You have defended the Indonesian nation. We are ready to continue your struggle."

That is the view of Siti Nuraedah, a grade VI student at SD 1 Astapada state elementary school, Cirebon regency, West Java, about Heroes Day on November 10. She disclosed this statement in her assignment to make the video given by Dede Juhadi.

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Dede showed the 2 minute and 6 second video via WhatsApp message, Monday (23/11/2020). This task is one of Dede\'s creativities in distance learning (PJJ) after face-to-face instruction activities was prohibited due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many students \'opinions about Heroes\' Day were recorded via video. However, the gadget memory was not sufficient to accommodate the video. It was understandable because the same smartphone was also used by his pregnant wife to register for the Pre-employment Card.

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The alumnus of Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Teacher Education, Syekh Nurjati State Islamic University Cirebon, also assigned his students to make a video greeting for National Teachers Day, November 25. Even though not face-to-face, the learning method trained speaking in public. The students were enthusiastic. They uploaded their work on social media. Dede also shared the results of his students\' assignments to the WA group of teachers. A number of teachers planned to adopt the method.

In distance learning, Dede also made assignments using the Google Form application, in the form of a questionnaire about subjects of Indonesian Language to Social Sciences. After answering all the questions, students received their scores on their gadgets. "So, I don\'t need to recap the scores manually," he said.

Unfortunately, of the 28 students, there were five children who did not have smart phones. So, once a week, he met the students at his school or home to give and collect assignments.

Getting on with life

Creativity could also be seen when Dede was struggling to make ends meet for his family. Being a contract teacher for eight years, the current salary of Rp 650,000 per month had not been able to meet the needs of his family with two children.

Also read: Maintaining Teacher Quality

Therefore, he was looking for a new source of income that did not interfere with his main task, teaching 24 hours per week. Before the pandemic, every afternoon, he went around peddling es doger (an Indonesian coconut milk-based shaved ice dessert). From this effort, he made a profit of Rp 20,000-Rp 60,000 per day.

However, he stopped selling because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, he is marketing the tempeh crackers made by his nephew. As a result, a week he received around Rp 120,000. "Results of the sales is to pay for electricity tokens," he said.

This farmer\'s son is also an officer who inputs data to the Cirebon regency office of the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) for a month. He starts working at night and came home at dawn. Her wages are slightly higher than Cirebon\'s minimum wage, Rp 2.19 million per month.

Sholeh Abdul Ghofur, a contract teacher at SDN 1 Sumber state elementary school, is also looking for additional income to upload the BPS data. In the morning, he teaches 24 hours per week.

In the midst of his busy activities to teach, Sholeh together with a number of contract teachers also initiated Koteci (Ciremai tea coffee). The coffee is taken from farmers in Ciremai, the highest mountain in West Java. According to the head of the Indonesian Education Fighters (PPSI) Cirebon, he has also designed a digital trading platform, namely the Butikku Store. These kinds of creativity are expected to improve the welfare of the contract teachers and education personnel in Cirebon, whose average salary is Rp 300,000 per month.

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A similar fate is experienced by Maria Ulfa, a contract teacher at SD Negeri 72 state elementary school in Banda Aceh. Even though her salary is only Rp 230,000 per month, she sincerely teaches. "I am sincere because this is a life choice," she said.

During the pandemic, face-to-face learning activities are eliminated. Learning is done online. However, not all parents have the device. Because of this, Maria visited the students at home to teach. "We do anything to enable the children to learn," she said.

SMA NEGERI ADONARA TENGAH

Adonara Tengah high school teacher, learning together how to teach online on Friday (29/8/2020).

Meanwhile, Alfeus Afando, 35, a contract teacher at SDN Mewet state elementary school, Adonara Island, East Flores, said that since teaching in 2006, he earned Rp 210,000 per month. After there was a central government policy that BOS (school operational assistance) funds could be used to pay contract teacher wages, he was paid Rp 1,070,000 per month.

To provide for his family\'s needs, he raises goats and cultivates horticultural crops. He also manages the cooperative "Obor Mas" in Mewet village with 70 members. This side business is run outside of the school hours.

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The deputy principal of SMA Adonara Tengah state senior high school, East Flores, Tomas Arakian Boli, said the salaries of contract teachers in the area are Rp 200,000 to Rp 800,000 per month.

In the midst of limited facilities and minimal welfare, Dede and a number of contract teachers in several regions continue to seek creative ways of teaching and making ends meet.